The semiconductor industry has experienced continued rapid growth due to continuous improvements in the integration density of various electronic components (i.e., transistors, diodes, resistors, capacitors, etc.). For the most part, this improvement in integration density has come from reductions in minimum feature size, which allows more components to be integrated into a given area.
Advanced lithographic and etch processes have been used to reduce minimum feature size, but multiple patterning in mask fabrication has caused undercut issues, difficulty in controlling minimum critical dimension, and other manufacturing concerns.